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Designed to help students explore interactions in both personal and professional domains, and develop the specific skills necessary to creating and maintaining healthy relationships, Inter-Act: Interpersonal Communication Concepts, Skills, and Contexts, Fourteenth Edition, retains the features that have made this book so successful: a theory driven and skills-based focus, an accessible tone and presentation, and a multitude of useful pedagogical tools. For this edition, new coauthor Erina MacGeorge has brought her in-depth knowledge of current theory to bear on each chapter, thoroughly updating the material so that it reflects the current state of knowledge in the discipline.

Lively and well-written, Inter-Act features numerous activities that enable students to relate their everyday experiences to their studies in communication. It also addresses readers' experiences of communicating across differences in individual identity, gender, and culture. With a strong focus on the importance of ethics, this leading text encourages students to develop their analytic abilities as they think critically about key concepts in interpersonal communication.

Chapter 2: Social Cognition: Understanding Others and OurselvesMAKING SENSE OF THE SOCIAL WORLDSocial Cognition: Automatic and ControlledAttentionMemoryJudgementImpression FormationMaking AttributionsStereotypingDiverse Voices: Just Walk on BySELF AND SOCIAL COGNITION: THINKING ABOUT YOURSELFSelf-Concept and Self-EsteemSelf-Concept DevelopmentMessages, Feedback, And Self-ConceptSelf-Concept Affects Our Attention and JudgementMessages Reflect and Maintain Our Self-ConceptSelf-Concept Affects Impression Management StrategiesImproving Self-Concept and Self-EsteemSOCIAL COGNITION AND EMOTIONDefining EmotionTypes of EmotionsIMPROVING SOCIAL COGNITIONFORMING IMPRESSIONS ON SOCIAL MEDIAA Question of Ethics: What Would You Do?SUMMARYCHAPTER RESOURCESKey WordsRewind/RewriteAnalyze and Apply

Chapter 3: Intercultural CommunicationCULTURE AND COMMUNICATIONDOMINANT AND CO-CULTURESGenderRaceEthnicitySexual Orientation and Gender IdentityReligionSocial ClassGenerationCultural IdentityHOW CULTURES DIFFERTime OrientationThe Importance of Context for Sharing MeaningThe Value of the Individual vs. the GroupDiverse Voices: Individualism and CollectivismAttitudes toward Predictability and UncertaintyAttitudes about Social Power DistributionMasculine vs. Feminine OrientationNorms About the Use of EmotionsBARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATIONAnxietyAssumed Similarity or DifferenceEthnocentrismStereotypingIncompatible Communication CodesIncompatible Norms and ValuesTHE PYRAMID MODE OF INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCERequisite AttitudesDeveloping Culture-Specific Knowledge and SkillsInternal and External OutcomesSOCIAL MEDIA ACROSS CULTURESA Question of Ethics: What Would You Do?SUMMARYCHAPTER RESOURCESKey WordsRewind/RewriteAnalyze and ApplySkill PracticeCommunication Improvement Plan: Intercultural Communication

Chapter 4: Verbal MessagesVERBAL MESSAGE FUNDAMENTALSWhat Is a Language?Diverse Voices: Mommy, Why Does Raj Talk Funny?Characteristics of LanguageMEANING IN THE LANGUAGE ITSELFGuidelines for Improving Message SemanticsVERBAL MEANING WITHIN THE CONVERSATIONAL CONTEXTSpeech ActsThe Cooperative PrincipleGuidelines for Improving Pragmatic UnderstandingMEANING WITHIN THE SOCIAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXTGuidelines for Improving Sociolinguistic UnderstandingUSING LANGUAGE TO RELATE ONLINEA Question of Ethics: What Would You Do?SUMMARYCHAPTER RESOURCESKey WordsRewind/RewriteAnalyze and ApplySkill PracticeCommunication Improvement Plan: Verbal Communication

Chapter 5: Nonverbal MessagesCHARACTERISTICS AND FUNCTIONS OF NONVERBAL MESSAGESCharacteristics of Nonverbal CommunicationFunctions of Nonverbal MessagesTYPES OF NONVERBAL COMMUNICATIONBody LanguageParalanguageUse of SpaceSelf-PresentationCULTURE AND GENDER DIFFERENCES IN NONVERBAL COMMUNICATIONCultural DifferencesDiverse Voices: Latin American and Anglo American Use of Personal Space in PublicGender DifferencesNONVERBAL EXPECTATIONSInterpreting a ViolationGUIDELINES FOR IMPROVING NONVERBAL MESSAGESSending Nonverbal MessagesA Question of Ethics: What Would You Do?Interpreting Nonverbal MessagesNONVERBAL COMMUNICATION IN TEXTSUMMARYCHAPTER RESOURCESKey WordsRewind/RewriteAnalyze and ApplySkill PracticeCommunication Improvement Plan: Nonverbal Communication

Chapter 6: Communication in the Life Cycle of RelationshipsTHE FUNCTIONS OF COMMUNICATION IN A RELATIONSHIPThe Constitutive FunctionThe Instrumental FunctionThe Indexical FunctionDESCRIBING RELATIONSHIPSHOW RELATIONSHIPS CHANGE: RELATIONSHIP LIFE CYCLESDiverse Voices: Modern Love: Close Enough to Touch Was Too Far ApartStage One: Beginning RelationshipsStage Two: Developing RelationshipsChoosing Which Relationships to DevelopCommunication in Developing RelationshipsStage Three: Sustaining RelationshipsCommunication Behaviors That Sustain RelationshipsUnderstanding and Managing Dialectical Tensions in RelationshipsStage Four: Relationship DeclineSelf-Disclosure and Privacy in RelationshipsGuidelines for Self-DisclosureGuidelines for PrivacyPUBLIC AND PRIVATE ONLINEA Question of Ethics: What Would You Do?SUMMARYCHAPTER RESOURCESKey WordsRewind/RewriteAnalyze and ApplySkill PracticeCommunication Improvement Plan: Relationships

Part II: Developing Interpersonal Communication Skills

Chapter 7: Listening EffectivelyCHALLENGES TO EFFECTIVE LISTENINGPersonal Styles of ListeningListening ApprehensionDiverse Voices: How I Learned to Shut Up and ListenDual Processes in ListeningTHE ACTIVE LISTENING PROCESSAttendingGuidelines to Improve AttendingUnderstandingGuidelines and Skills for Improving UnderstandingRememberingGuidelines for Improving RememberingCritically EvaluatingGuidelines for Improving Critical EvaluationRespondingGuidelines to Improve RespondingDIGITAL LISTENING SKILLSAttending to and Understanding Digital MessagesCritically Evaluating Digital MessagesA Question of Ethics: What Would You Do?SUMMARYCHAPTER RESOURCESKey WordsRewind/RewriteAnalyze and ApplySkill PracticeCommunication Improvement Plan: Listening

Chapter 8: Holding Effective ConversationsCONVERSATION: DEFINITION, STRUCTURE, AND VARIATIONCharacteristics of ConversationVARIATION IN CONVERSATIONConversational TypePurposeSequenceToneParticipantsSettingGUIDELINES FOR EFFECTIVE CONVERSATIONALISTSGeneral Conversation GuidelinesSkills for Conversing with StrangersStarting a ConversationSustaining a ConversationClosing a ConversationCULTURAL VARIATION IN CONVERSATIONDiverse Voices: Conversational BallgamesDIGITAL CONVERSATION SKILLSAwareness of AudienceMultiplicity of ConversationsAbruptness of DisengagementA Question of Ethics: What Would You Do?SUMMARYCHAPTER RESOURCESKey WordsRewind/RewriteAnalyze and ApplySkill PracticeCommunication Improvement Plan: Conversation

Chapter 9: Supporting OthersEMPATHIZINGThree Types of EmpathyGuidelines for Improving EmpathySUPPORTIVE INTERACTIONSDiverse Voices: Which Is My Good Leg?SUPPORTIVE MESSAGESCreating a Supportive ClimateValidating EmotionsEncouraging ReappraisalsPromoting Action with AdviceSupporting Positive Feelings: Celebratory SupportGENDER AND CULTURE IN SUPPORTIVE INTERACTIONSUSING SOCIAL MEDIA TO OFFER EMPATHY AND SUPPORTIncreased Social DistanceIncreased Presence of OthersBenefits for Apprehensive IndividualsEase of ManagementMemorializing Others Through Digital CommunicationA Question of Ethics: What Would You Do?SUMMARYCHAPTER RESOURCESKey WordsRewind/RewriteAnalyze and ApplySkill PracticeCommunication Improvement Plan: Empathizing and Supporting

Chapter 13: Communication in Workplace RelationshipsCOMMUNICATING IN FORMAL WORKPLACE RELATIONSHIPSCommunicating in Managerial RelationshipsUnderstanding Manager-Employee RelationshipsGuidelines for Effectively Communicating with Your ManagerCommunicating in Co-worker RelationshipsTypes and Functions of Co-worker RelationshipsGuidelines for Communicating in Co-worker RelationshipsCommunicating in Customer and Vendor RelationshipsGuidelines for Communicating in Boundary-Spanning RelationshipsCommunicating in Informal Workplace RelationshipsMentoring RelationshipsWorkplace FriendshipsRomantic Relationships at WorkCOMMUNICATING IN A DIVERSE WORKPLACECulture-Based Work StyleDiverse Voices: Kaigi: Japanese Style Business MeetingsGendered Linguistic Style in the WorkplaceIntergenerational Communication IssuesIMPROVING WORKPLACE PERFORMANCE THROUGH FEEDBACKAsking for FeedbackConstructively CriticizingResponding to Negative Feedback (Criticism)THE DARK SIDE OF WORKPLACE COMMUNICATIONAggression at WorkSexual HarassmentDIGITAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS IN PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPSUsing Social Media Responsibly and EffectivelyUsing Social Media Strategically and WiselyUsing Social Media ProfessionallyVisibility and PersistenceEditabilityAssociationA Question of Ethics: What Would You Do?SUMMARYCHAPTER RESOURCESKey WordsRewind/RewriteAnalyze and ApplySkill PracticeCommunication Improvement Plan: Workplace Communication